Age differences in (±) 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)‐induced conditioned taste aversions and monoaminergic levels
Jennifer L. Cobuzzi, Kayla Siletti, Zachary E. Hurwitz, Bradley Wetzell, Michael H. Baumann, Anthony L Riley
Developmental Psychobiology June 15, 2013 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21132 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Dose | 0, 1.0, 1.8, or 3.2 mg/kg |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Neurochemical Monoaminergic Taste aversion Monoamine neurotransmitter Pharmacology |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key findings | Adolescent rats displayed less robust MDMA-induced taste aversions than adults, suggesting reduced sensitivity to the drug's aversive effects. |
Abstract
Preclinical work indicates that adolescent rats appear more sensitive to the rewarding effects and less sensitive to the aversive effects of abused drugs. The present investigation utilized the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) design to measure the relative aversive effects of (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 0, 1.0, 1.8, or 3.2 mg/kg) in adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats. After behavioral testing was complete, monoamine and associated metabolite levels in discrete brain regions were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) to determine if adolescent animals displayed a different neurochemical profile than did adult animals after being exposed to subcutaneous low doses of MDMA. Adolescent rats displayed less robust MDMA-induced taste aversions than adults during acquisition and on a final two-bottle aversion test. MDMA at these doses had no consistent effect on monoamine levels in either age group, although levels did vary with age. The relative insensitivity of adolescents to MDMA's aversive effects may engender an increased vulnerability to MDMA abuse in this specific population.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Use and abuse of dissociative and psychedelic drugs in adolescence Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior January 27, 2021
- The effects of acute and repeated adolescent MDMA exposure on behavior, cognition, and the monoamine neurotransmitter systems: A review of human and pre-clinical research Behavioural Brain Research February 10, 2026
- Methylone pre-exposure differentially impacts the aversive effects of MDPV and MDMA in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats: Implications for abuse vulnerability. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior October 2022
Cites 17
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and 12 more in the library